Wise & Shine

An Suess-style Poem to Inspire Your Best Life

I’m not really into poetry- unless it’s from my poet-hero, Dr. Suess. Nobody else, in my mind, has his ability to deliver both serious messages and goofy fun with such imagination and humor, while maintaining a simplistic poetic structure. I think he’s a genius and an inspiration. So in honor of my hero (and because it’s fun), I’ve created my 2nd annual Suess-esque poem as a way of acknowledging his greatness and celebrating his recent birthday, which was March 2nd. 

Last year I wrote about Covid fashions. This year, it’s about living your best life and “grabbing the bull by the horns”. I hope you’re amused and perhaps even inspired by it.

Get Started!
by Todd Fulginiti

Don’t stress on your goals be they reached quick or thwarted.
Get up off your bum and get the thing started!

Let’s talk about Dan. He was not the man, though his mind was chock-full of ideas.
At home on the couch, a bitter old grouch doing nothing but eating tortillas.
He criticized this and he criticized that, always sure that he could do better.
A confident lad in fields of all kinds. A genius! A star! Record setter!

Twas all in his mind, all the things he would do, and how truly amazing they’d be.
But if Dan was a golfer, suffice it to say, there would be no ball on the tee.

He sounded so cocky when talking aloud 
But inside his head lived a doubting, gray cloud
That kept him from starting and locked him in place
Like the rope on your leg in a three-legged race.

Danny’s ideas were stuck in his head, 
Right beside worry and feelings of dread.
Perhaps there were other fears lurking and crouching,
So paralyzed Danny was all the time couch-ing.

Sure he could do things but not sure as well, 
Old Danny was stuck in his own living hell;
But not living fully, because of the feeling 
That his mental status was too backwards-reeling.

Then one day, Dan lunched in a little cafe 
Where he met an old friend who would show him the way
To get off the couch and to make things start moving; 
To use those ambitions to get life improving.

This friend was a dreamer, a Renaissance man. 
His ambitions and interests were many- like Dan.
But the difference that stood out between the two 
Is defined by this two letter word. D-O. Do.

The friend was a painter, whose stuff was on sale
Both via website and good, old retail.
He built model trains, and if you want to see ’em,
They’re now on display at the railroad museum!

He was slick in the kitchen, and quite a good baker. 
He catered events – a part time money maker!
Photography too was quite a big hobby;
His work decked the walls of the city hall lobby.
He dug climbing mountains and staying in shape. 
Dan joked that the friend wore a Superman cape!

“Hey Friend,” Dan had asked. I’m amazed! How d’you do it? 
You’re doing so much! My minds blown- and you blew it!

We both have ideas, and skills- we’re not slouches,
Yet I’m the one rotting away on my couches.
Show me, good friend, how to gather some traction;
To clear my blockade of fear and inaction.”

“Of course,” said the friend. “ It’s really quite simple.
You’re stuck in your head, like the puss in a pimple.
So pop it, release it, uncork all the stuff!
Just deciding to do it is most likely enough.

It may be not easy, it may not be peachy,
But you’ll be better off than a whale on the beachy. 
A whale in the sand, or you who’s not trying,
Both are deceasing. Both slowly dying.

So take that first step, whatever it be.
Dip you toes in the water, wade up to your knee!
From there, keep on stepping, one step at a time
And as you wade deeper, the higher you’ll climb!

Don’t stress on your goals, be they reached quick or thwarted. 
Get up off your bum and get the thing started!”

“Thank you!” said Dan at the end of the lecture ,
Which leads us to this little bit of conjecture:

If you, like our Danny, are stuck in your head
Or torn between confidence, doubting and dread,
Decide that you’ll just do that very first thing.
Then take it from there and help it grow wings.

Who cares if you don’t know just how it all works,
Whether it’ll go smooth or have a few quirks.
If you truly believe your ideas are solid,
Then don’t let them idle away ‘til they’re squalid!

And as fun as your goals might be to achieve,
True growth comes from the attempt, I believe.

So runners- start running! Hey writers- get writing! 
Dancers get dancing! Lamplighters get lighting!

Don’t stress on your goals be they reached quick or thwarted.  
Get up off your bum and get the thing started!

Follow Todd Fulginiti’s personal blog at www.fiveoclockshadow.life, Facebook or Twitter (FiveOClockShad2). For musician services, visit www.toddfulginiti.com